Shloka 90

दुन्दुभिवधप्रसङ्गः

The Dundubhi Episode and the Proof of Rama’s Prowess

Devanagari script

स एव संशयस्तात तव तस्य च यद्बले4.11.90।।सालमेकं तु निर्भिद्या भवेद्व्यक्तिर्बलाबले।

Transliteration

sa eva saṁśayas tāta tava tasya ca yad bale |

sālam ekaṁ tu nirbhidya bhaved vyaktir balābale ||

Translation

亲爱的，这正是关于你与他力量的疑惑；但若你能贯穿一株娑罗树，强弱之实便会清楚显现。

Word by Word

• सः: that (he/that)
• सः: कर्ता (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., nominative, singular)

• एव: alone/indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध/विशेषण-निपात (emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः/अवधारणार्थक-अव्ययम् (particle of emphasis/limitation)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: कर्ता (subject/predicate-noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., nominative, singular)

• तात: O dear (father/dear one)
• तात: सम्बोधन (address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., vocative, singular)

• तव: your
• तव: सम्बन्ध (possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (genitive, singular; pronoun)

• तस्य: his/of him
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (genitive, singular)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• यत्: which/that (as to)
• यत्: विशेषण (relative qualifier to ‘बले’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (neut., nom./acc., singular; relative pronoun)

• बले: in (the matter of) strength
• बले: अधिकरण (locus: in the matter of strength)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (neut., locative, singular)

• सालम्: a śāla tree
• सालम्: कर्म (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., accusative, singular)

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: विशेषण (qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masc., accusative, singular; agreeing with ‘सालम्’)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध/निपात (discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अवधारणार्थक-अव्ययम् (particle: but/indeed)

• निर्भिद्य: having split/pierced through
• निर्भिद्य: क्रियाविशेषण (prior action to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√भिद् (भिदिर् छेदने)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपदी-धातुः; ‘having split/pierced through’ (gerund)

• भवेत्: would be/will become
• भवेत्: क्रिया (main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (भू सत्तायाम्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम् (optative, 3rd person singular, parasmaipada)

• व्यक्तिः: manifestation/demonstration
• व्यक्तिः: कर्ता (subject: ‘demonstration/manifestation’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (fem., nominative, singular)

• बलाबले: in (the matter of) strength and weakness
• बलाबले: अधिकरण (locus: in strength and non-strength)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल + अबल (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समासः (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः); नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (neut., locative, singular)

Context

'I was unable to gauge whether your strength is more than his (Vali's) since there is a great difference between a dry body and a wet one.

Characters & Entities

• Sugriva
• Rama
• Vali (implied)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma as fair procedure: before undertaking a morally charged act (killing Vali), Sugrīva requests a clearer, more reliable demonstration.

What is the narrative situation?

Sugrīva proposes an alternative test—piercing a śāla tree—to better assess whether Rama can match or exceed Vali’s prowess.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Practical wisdom: Sugrīva seeks verifiable proof to minimize risk and ensure the alliance proceeds on truthful grounds.